Roar Guru
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‘Captain’s knock’ is a frequently used term within the cricketing fraternity. And fair enough too - in the long history of the game, there…
In the 50-over game teams need to build partnerships to achieve success. Here are Australia's best World Cup ones from over the years.
For the most part of the recent World Cup, we saw domination by the batting over the bowling. With most pitches offering little or…
The first Test that I watched was the historic Centenary Test at the MCG in 1977. Cricket, at the time, was very much a…
Like many other things in cricket; the story of debut pairs in Test cricket started with the Grace family of England. Fred Grace, one…
Over the last few years I have read some wonderful articles here related to A, B, C, D, X, Y, Z teams both from…
On 29th July, 1982, at Edgbaston, Imran Khan, the new Pakistan captain, went out to the toss along with his rival Bob Willis. This…
Given his never-say-die spirit and his desire to carry the fight until the very end, I am a little bit surprised that Graham Gooch’s…
Most cricket experts consider 1971 to be the start of the modern era in Indian cricket. An impressive series win in the Caribbean was…
Although the Aussies lost the Ashes series in 1981, Allan Border returned home with his head high after showing the pundits that he could…
If 1978 is considered as the beginning of the second century of Australian Test cricket history, then Allan Robert Border is without doubt the…
Just like my previous combined teams, only one slot is available to each Test-playing nation. The main criterion is very simple: the player had…
This will be the last article in this mini series. I selected the year 1984, as my love for the game of cricket reached…
The first World Cup was held in England in 1975 at a time when the limited-overs game was still very much in its developing…
1977 was a special year for me, and it was special for the cricketing world as well. To begin with, I fell in love…
Right now, there are 12 Test-playing nations. In 1971, exactly 50 years ago, this number was much smaller. With South Africa absent from the…
After New Zealand made history by winning the series in England in 1986, Graham Gooch, the England opener, described the Kiwi bowling as, "It…
The years 1985 and 1986 can be termed a golden era in New Zealand cricket history. In roughly 18 months starting from February 1985…
'What might have been?' I love these words. At times the facts become a bit dreary, often the same story just gets repeated. In…
Subhas ‘Fergie’ Gupte was born in Bombay on December 11, 1929, and died in Trinidad on May 31, 2002. He spent the last four…
BTW, this is the 2nd part of this article. Forgot to mention it in the title; the editors didn’t correct it either.
Allan Border's greatest knocks in defeat
Thanks for the comments.
Player for Player the Aussies were no match for the Windies; but it was individual brilliance of certain players that kept the home side in the series.
Certainly there was scope for optimism at the beginning of the final day at the Adelaide oval, 341/4 with both Hughes and Marsh looking good; skipper Chappell was still to come.
It was Joel Garner who did the damage early on the final day.
Allan Border's greatest knocks in defeat
Fully agree with your views. I followed this series intensely from Dacca, via the Indian radio. Apart from Border and Hughes, Yallop also enjoyed a good series. Sadly the openers disappointed.
Peter Toohey can consider himself unlucky not to make the tour; I think like Border, he could have established himself in the sun baked pitches of the sub continent.
Doshi and Shivlal Yadav the new spinners in the Indian team lacked the killing instinct of their predecessors. Doshi, perhaps got his chance after passing his best days.
Aus lost the 3rd and 6th test. at Kanpur They even took a 1st innings lead, but their batting collapsed on the 4th innings. Harsh on Dymock who took 12 wickets in the match.
At Wankhede, wining the toss gave the home side a decisive advantage.
Allan Border's greatest knocks in defeat: Part 1
Bad day for Kiwi sports, the Soccer team lost to Peru in the final Qatar WC qualifier.
Pope and Root hit tons in England fightback
A great finish in prospect. Eng batting still depends very heavily on Mr. Root.
Staying home whole day. Good time to watch cricket. Also have Malaysia v Bangladesh Asia Cup (Football) qualifier at 7pm. Sadly the Soccer Tigers have nothing to play for.
Pope and Root hit tons in England fightback
As for NZ, I think Garndhomme is the bowler they are missing here. At least eh would have kept the scoring rate down, putting a bit more pressure on the batters.
Pope and Root hit tons in England fightback
“a lotus land for batsmen, a place where it was always afternoon and 360 for two wickets”
well that’s what Cardus wrote about Trent Bridge.
I actually followed the discussion prior to this test keenly as I was selecting my fantasy team.
(With Root, Blundell, Mitchell and Anderson in my team, I am doing okay so far).
The view of the experts was that it will help the seamers early on and then would become flat. And they were totally right.
I think it was a good toss to win for Eng and fielding first was the right call. I didn’t watch the first session, but the ball did a lot in the 2nd, specially for Broad. Sadly, the England team didn’t do their slip catching practice properly.
Pope and Root hit tons in England fightback
Eng selectors get their reward for keeping ‘faith’ on Pope.
Mitchell's 81 puts NZ in charge against England
yes. Test matches at Calcutta used to be massive events in those days. Sadly the focus has shifted to T20 cricket and I don’t think Eden Gardens gets test matches regularly now.
Among the Eng grounds I like Oval most.
I also like the Irish grounds, everything seems so green.
Allan Border's greatest knocks in defeat: Part 1
Allan Border made his test debut in 1978-79, mostly a forgettable season for Aus cricket.
For me, it was my first big season as a cricket lover. I was introduced to the game in Jan 1977, as my dad took me to watch the historic match between Bangladesh & MCC at Dacca. Later BTV showed the highlights of the centenary test.
But it was in 1978-79 that I first followed intl. cricket thoroughly. Over the Indian radio I followed the Ind-WI series and was much amused by names like Kallicharan and Shivnarayan in the Caribbean team. It was much later that I learned about the Indian community in WI.
I followed the Ashes series via newspapers. And then there was this Bangladeshi doctor, living in Sydney at the time, who would write regularly about the Packer Series in weekly ‘Bichitra’ (variety).
Allan Border's greatest knocks in defeat: Part 1
And as for him not playing any test during the India tour, it was due to his poor relationship with Asif Iqbal, the skipper.
Allan Border's greatest knocks in defeat: Part 1
I didn’t suggest anything like that. I just mentioned this as a fact that he never took a five for after the MCG match.
Allan Border's greatest knocks in defeat: Part 1
I was at the Eden Gardens for the 3rd and 4th day of the 1985 test against England. Inclement weather plus a very slow wicket meant that it was a boring draw. Still it’s a great experience watching cricket at the Eden Garden’s.
The crowd though supporting India, was never shy to applaud good cricket from the opposition.
Back in the autumn of 1979, Yallop got a standing ovation for his 167, and even bigger applause waited for Hughes on the final day for his sporting declaration. Of course, it very nearly backfired, as chasing 247, India finished on 4-200 with 22 deliveries to go. Everyone was surprised when the batters accepted the offer of bad light.
Interesting things had happened 10 years earlier when the Aus VC Ian Chappell was dismissed on 99. The crowd were clapping in anticipation of Ian’s hundred, but he got nervous and got out to Bedi.
Allan Border's greatest knocks in defeat: Part 1
Thanks. After completing the 2nd part, I plan to write one on Sunil Gavaskar.
Allan Border's greatest knocks in defeat: Part 1
Another innings from Border that was impressive early on his career was his 54 on the opening day at the Eden Gardens in Oct. 1979. This of course was a drawn match and hence not in consideration for my article here.
Hughes won the toss, but the 4th ball of the morning saw Hilditch edge Kapil to Kirmani. so Border came at No 3 with no run on the board. Yallop, a makeshift opener was at the other end. Australia’s ‘famous’ openers at the time, Wood & Darling both struggled during the tour.
It must have been a daunting experience for the two young Aussies batting in front of 80,000 partisan crowd. It was a slow start but both eventually came good. Border made 54, Yallop 167. Both got rich plaudits from our beloved Kamal Da in the AkashBani commentary box.
Allan Border's greatest knocks in defeat: Part 1
It seems that Border had genuine running between the wicket problem early on his career. Apart from Hogg and Hurst at SCG, he was involved in the run out of Yallop at MCG against Pak, 2nd innings. And at Madras he was run out after scoring 162 in the 1st test.
Allan Border's greatest knocks in defeat: Part 1
With Fri being a holiday here in Bangladesh I watched the last two sessions. Missed the first session sleeping; the match started 4 pm BST.
While taking nothing away from NZ, the Eng slip catching was poor; I mean really really poor. That’s very harsh on the bowlers, specially Broad.
Of course I am not complaining, my fantasy game punts Mitchell and Blundell already paying off nicely, expecting about 6/7 caught behinds for Blundell off Southee and Jamieson.
Mitchell's 81 puts NZ in charge against England
Thanks for the comment.
Watching some of the WI matches at the time, I got the impression that they specially target the opposition captain. I may be wrong, of course.
Chappell in 81/82, Gower and Hughes in 84, all struggled badly.
Border led Aus against WI in 3 and a half series.
Allan Border's greatest knocks in defeat: Part 1
I am not overly excited yet. Over the last 20 years or so I have heard a lot of WI bowlers who many believed would bring back Garner or Marsahll days.
Australia, get ready - the Windies have a new paceman
Great Article. I enjoy reading about these great test matches from the past .One point I would like to touch though; it’s about the Furusiam test of 1972.
While the pitch was bad perhaps tailor made for the deadly,
The Aussies themselves had two spinners, Mallet and Inverarity. Also, Stackpole bowled a bit of leg spin. And Aus had the advantage of batting first , I think.
Ashes anniversaries: Chappelli’s Aussies and 16 wickets on debut
While Border was adjudged MOM, Micheal Holding was the Man of the series after taking 24 wickets at 14.33.
That Windies pace attack with Roberts and Holding taking the new ball and Garner and Croft as back ups was fearsome to say the least.
Ian Chappell once asked Holding whether he had any favorite ends in any grounds.
His reply was simple; ‘I have favorite end in all the grounds; opposite end of Andy Roberts’.
Allan Border's greatest knocks in defeat